Linking Budget Cuts to Decreased Services Key to Saving IT Jobs

Businesses buckling down on spending will target projects and freeze hiring, but for many IT departments the cuts won't stop there. To avoid debilitating cuts, IT must learn to manage service levels and communicate the consequences of IT budget decreases on business services.

A research article, "Save the IT Department by Linking Budget Cuts to Decreased IT Services," looks at the role service level management will play in budget cut scenarios, challenges in relating real budget savings to the management of IT services, and recommendations for IT service level reductions. Proactive evaluation of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), increased resource flexibility, and improved communication with the enterprise about budget cuts will demonstrate a higher level of accountability for IT spending and facilitate the reduction of service cuts.